Squats Once a Week

Q: I have a question, well actually a few:

I've used your 10-8-6-15 program, and I did see results. I followed up with trying something completely different, using Neil Hill's y3t program, which is high volume, less frequency. 

The problem is two fold: I don't know if I'm a true ectomorph. I'm 37 years old and 187 lbs. I've struggled with gaining weight my entire life. If I miss a meal, then it shows after a day or two. But still when I did the Neil Hill routine, and I stopped for three weeks, people commented on my weight lifting physique more than ever. So I dove back into the Neil Hill routine. I've been doing it for 3 weeks now, and I feel like my body needs more frequency. I'm ready to go back to the 10-8-6-15 and do low volume, high frequency. 

2nd problem: after lifting off and on for the past 15 years am I a beginner or intermediate? And should I return to the classic ectomorph routine? 

Thanks!
Tay


My Answer: You didn't say how tall you are, but if you're at 187 pounds and you've been training for 15 years, then you're no longer a beginner.  You should go back to the ectomorph routine, however, since you need to back cycle from the y3t program.

Back cycling is when you pull back on your training in some fashion to allow your muscles to overcompensate with growth.  I discuss how to use back cycling to sustain muscle mass in High Tension Exercises for Muscular Growth. 

So when you go back to the ectomorph routine, you'll be back cycling by training at a lower volume.  This will jump start some new growth.





Q: I will be starting your program today, do I need to do the entire 24 sets each day, or can I split 2 muscle groups per day? My last program was the 5x5, and I got a leg injury from squatting 3 times a week.

Thanks,
Alex


My Answer: If you're doing 2 muscle groups per day, then this means you're only doing 8 sets per workout.  What I would suggest is do squats once a week, but do the rest of the workout 3 times per week. 

Q:  I just got done doing a high volume workout. I'm thinking of doing this:

Bench press-5x5

Deadlift-5x5

Squat-5x5

I have also been doing a thousand push ups a week. Do you think this is too much? What are your suggestions to make it better?

My Answer: I don't see the point of doing a 1,000 push ups a week, but whatever floats your boat.  You should get pretty muscular and ripped doing a 1,000 push ups, but you can get the same fat loss and muscularity if you lowered the total to 100 a week.  In fact, 100 rep targets are a good way to get ripped and muscular.

You should alternate deadlifts and squats from workout to workout.  I've written about this a million times before.  You want to avoid training redundancy, so don't do squats and deadlifts in the same workout.